Alaska INBRE 4 ? ALTERATION AND RENOVATION PROJECT SUMMARY Microbes are diverse in both their taxonomy and functional capabilities. Describing the role of the microbiome in health and disease requires high-throughput methods that use current state-of-the-art culturing, sequencing, and bioinformatic tools. The goal of the AK INBRE 4 Alteration and Renovation (Specific Aim 6) is to provide the University of Alaska Anchorage with improved physical space in the form of a Microbiome Suite to expand and support microbiome research. Creation of the suite will be achieved through alteration of a room in the ConocoPhillips Integrated Sciences Building (CPISB, 324B) that was originally designed for an alternative but ultimately unrealized purpose. The space has been used ad hoc for culturing but lacks critical components necessary for the growing needs in microbiome research and is inefficiently used due in part to a glass partition between the room and a hallway. Our specific aims are to expand microbiome research and teaching capacity and support faculty and students in microbiome research. The alteration and renovation will enable us to achieve these aims by: i) providing state-of-the art space for isolation, characterization and culturing of microbes under a variety of conditions, ii) increasing availability of biosafety and laminar flow hoods to meet growing user need, and iii) creating an area to conduct long-term aerobic and anaerobic incubations, including under continuous culture conditions, to study microbial physiology and mixed-microbial community interactions. Achievement of these aims will enhance learning and research opportunities for students, increase publications in high tier journals, and increase submitted and funded proposals.